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New York Rangers Forward Brandon Prust Suspended One Game For Elbowing

New York Ranger forward Brandon Prust has been suspended for one game by NHL officials after he elbowed New Jersey Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Prust was part of a telephone hearing with NHL discipline specialist Brendan Shanahan on Sunday afternoon. During the chat the two men discussed the elbow to Volchenkov’s helmet during the Rangers’ 3-0 win on Saturday.

Prust will likely be replaced by forward Brandon Dubinsky who hasn’t played since injuring his right foot during Game 7 of the playoff’s first round.

While Prust will suffer through a one-game suspension Volchenkov appeared fine following the hit, while he stayed down on the ice for a short period of time he didn’t miss a shift and no penalty was called at the time of the elbow.

The one game suspension was handed down because no injury was reported and because Prust in his five seasons has never been disciplined for violent behavior.

In explaining the one-game suspension Shanahan said Prust “flared his elbow” when hitting Volchenkov.

Defending his player was New York Rangers coach John Tortorella who said the hit didn’t warrant a suspension.

In the meantime playoff suspensions have definitely not been sparse with Brendan Shanahan handing out 13 suspensions since the playoffs began and the second handed out to a Rangers player after Rookie forward Carl Hagelin was put on a three-game suspension for elbowing Daniel Alfredsson in the head during the teams seven-game series against the Ottawa Senators.

Do you think Brandon Prust got what he deserved or did Brendan Shanahan overreact?